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Young Harris College Student Receives Prestigious Gary Lee Scholarship
YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. – The Council of Independent Colleges recently awarded senior early childhood education major Chelsi George, of Blairsville, Ga., the prestigious Gary Lee Scholarship for the 2016-2017 academic year. The scholarship recognizes the importance of teaching as a career.
This $5,000 competitive scholarship is awarded every year to an individual who is in their final year of college preparing to become a teacher. The scholarship is named in honor of Gary Lee, a distinguished member of the UPS executive team and a respected leader in the nation’s higher education community.
The Georgia Foundation for Independent Colleges (GFIC) administers the scholarship, which is funded by The Foundation for Higher Education-UPS Fund that was given in honor of Lee. Upon Lee’s retirement from the Foundation Board, the organization decided to honor his accomplishments by designating one of their scholarship in his honor.
“I feel very blessed that Mr. and Mrs. Lee chose me out of all the other applicants to be the recipient of this scholarship,” said George. “This scholarship has helped to relieve the financial burden of completing my undergraduate degree, further paving the path for me to carry on my passion of education as an early childhood teacher.”
Lee and his wife, Lucy, were on the YHC campus to formally present the scholarship on Oct. 18 where they had the opportunity to join George for lunch along with her parents, Sondra and Steve George, YHC President Cathy Cox, and members of the YHC faculty and staff.
Young Harris College senior early childhood education major Chelsi George (center), of Blairsville, Ga., was recently awarded the Gary Lee Scholarship alongside Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Gary Myers (far left), Division of Education Administrative Assistant and Data Assistant Jennifer Manous, Gary Lee, Lucy Lee, Dean of the Division of Education Dr. Karynne Kleine, parents Steve and Sondra George, and President Cathy Cox.
About Young Harris College
Young Harris College is a private, baccalaureate degree-granting college located in the beautiful mountains of North Georgia. Founded in 1886 and historically affiliated with The United Methodist Church, Young Harris College educates, inspires and empowers students through the highest quality liberal arts education. The College currently has more than 1,100 students across five divisions—Education, Fine Arts, Humanities, Mathematics and Science, and Social and Behavioral Sciences. The historic campus in Young Harris, Ga., has completed major campus improvements to accommodate the College’s growth. Recent LEED-certified campus improvements include the 121,000-square-foot Rollins Campus Center, new residence facilities, and a 57,000-square-foot recreation and fitness center. The College is an active member of NCAA Division II and remains a fierce competitor in the prestigious Peach Belt Conference. YHC is among fewer than 300 colleges and universities nationwide named to the 2016-2017 list of Colleges of Distinction and is listed as a “Best National Liberal Arts College” by U.S. News & World Report. For more information, visit yhc.edu.
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